About Teddy

Attorney/educator Teddy Davis, 36, is the new generation leader running for Los Angeles City Council in District 4.

Born and raised in our community, Davis is focused on fixing streets, protecting neighborhoods, and helping kids succeed.

Davis has worked over the years as an Emmy Award-winning ABC News journalist, as Special Assistant to the Governor of California, and as a Senior Aide to the Mayor of Los Angeles.

Davis currently serves as an Unruh Fellow at the University of Southern California, helping students prepare for careers in public service.

Davis was born and raised in Los Feliz to a mother from Mexico and a father from Texas. From nursery through 12th grade, he attended The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, where he served as student body president and editor-in-chief of The Student Voice newspaper.

Davis went to college and law school in Washington, DC, earning degrees from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and The Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law. He is admitted to the practice of law in the District of Columbia and is a member of the National Hispanic Bar Association.

Davis began his commitment to public service while still in college, serving as an inner-city tutor in America Reads, the work-study program created by President Clinton.

In 1998, Davis worked in Los Angeles on Gray Davis' come-from-behind win for Governor of California.

He later became Special Assistant to the Governor and was part of the team that brought health care to more children, protected California's coastline, and made it easier to pass local school construction bonds.

Believing that a strong democracy depends on a strong press, Davis joined ABC News in 2003. He got his start on an overnight shift and worked his way up to being the network's deputy director of political coverage.

At ABC News, Davis was responsible for giving advice on political coverage to "World News with Diane Sawyer," "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," "Nightline," and "Good Morning America." He also provided on-camera political analysis for ABC News Now and wrote articles about the intersection of politics and policy for ABCNEWS.com.

During his seven years at ABC, he covered the reelection of George W. Bush, the Democratic takeover of Congress, the election of Barack Obama, and the fight to reform the nation's health care system.

He won an Emmy Award for team coverage of President Obama's inauguration.

Believing that a strong economy depends on a strong middle class, Davis stepped away from journalism in 2010 and became a national spokesperson for more than 2 million workers united in SEIU, the union that pioneered the Justice for Janitors campaign.

With the economy still struggling to recover from the Great Recession, Davis was part of a coalition that persuaded Congress to pass aid to states that saved the jobs of cops, teachers, and firefighters.

Davis later became Chief Advocate of SEIU Local 721, a union representing city and county workers.

To restore Monday hours at LA libraries, he partnered with then-City Council President Eric Garcetti and initiated the union's contribution to the successful "Yes on Measure L" ballot campaign.

In 2011, Davis was recruited to serve as press secretary to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Davis worked closely with the Mayor on the City’s top priorities: creating jobs, reducing traffic, and keeping neighborhoods safe.

Shortly after joining the Mayor’s Office, Davis collaborated with LA’s business team on the City’s "We're Not Waiting for Washington" Jobs Plan. The plan lowered taxes on new businesses, cut red tape, and gave local businesses a leg up on City contracts. It also made major investments in LA’s infrastructure including the port, airport, and mass transit system.

When President Obama tapped Villaraigosa to chair the Democratic National Convention, Davis volunteered his time and helped the Mayor push for the first party platform to endorse marriage equality.

Following the 2012 election, Davis was recruited from across the country to head communications for Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Davis worked for O'Malley during the governor’s highly productive 2013 legislative session, advancing an agenda that included banning assault weapons, helping veterans land jobs, and leading the nation in academic progress for low-income students.

As a fellow at USC’s Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, Davis mentors students on how to pursue a career in public service and participates in panel discussions on current public policy topics.

He is married to Emily Turner Davis, an editor for Island Press, a publishing house that specializes in books about the environment.

Davis is active in his community with College Path LA, Big Sunday, and Be The Match: The National Bone Marrow Donor Program. In his free time, he enjoys running in Griffith Park, hiking to the top of Mt. Hollywood, and going to opening night movies.